Judson Tolman and the Crickets of 1850

April 24, 1850 Elder Ezra T. Benson, who had come to Tooele to open the sawmill with Judson Tolman and Josiah Call, organized the first Church unit in the Tooele Valley. He appointed John Rowberry “presiding elder” and Judson as made a teacher. Ten days later on May 5, 1850, the branch was reorganized by Elder Benson. Phineas Wright was called as first counselor and Judson Tolman as second counselor to Bishop Rowberry. Beginning immediately, Church services were held in the homes of the members, with the first being held in the home of Judson and Sarah Lucretia Tolman. (Microfilm #1259737, 1848 Supplement. Copy at the LDS Historical Department.) Later that spring, as the crops were beginning to ripen, Judson Tolman had a remarkable spiritual experience. The following story is quoted here in its entirety from John Odell Tolman’s history entitled: Judson Tolman. Pioneer and Patriarch—My Second Great-Grandfather. I felt that it would be important to acknowledge John’s role in getting this story published in the LDS Seminary Manuals as an example of spiritual manifestations and the gift of tongues. John found this account in the History of Tooele County: “The wheat was just beginning to spread a lovely, green carpet over the fields when a horde of creaking, ugly black crickets descended from the foothills. The settlers were paralyzed at the sight and could hardly believe what they saw. The crops were swept before them, leaving the ground bare as though a fire had burned over it. People joined forces to drive back the invasion while some of the men plowed a wide ditch and filled it with water, hoping to drown the jumping army. They dug trenches, lined them with straw which was set afire when the insects filled the spaces, but nothing they could do stopped the voracious invaders. The crop seemed doomed, and the people predicted a terrible famine for the already meager food supply. Bishop Rowberry called a special prayer meeting to be held in his home. During the meeting his counselor, Judson Tolman, spoke in tongues.The bishop gave the interpretation that ‘if the people would be faithful, the crickets would be turned away and they would raise a good harvest.’ The settlers returned to the fields to resume the struggle, but already the crickets had reversed their course, heading back up the nearby canyon, and completely disappeared from the valley within a few days.” (Mercer, Mildred Allred, ed., History of Tooele County. Salt Lake City, Publishers’ Press, 1961, page 35.)